Lilly aims to educate consumers on how drug maker collaborates with physicians

INDIANAPOLIS — Eli Lilly has launched its physician payment registry, a website that enables visitors to search payments to individual U.S.-based physicians and the institutions or research organizations that receive payments on behalf of a physician.

The drug maker said that its website, which is in line with its corporate integrity agreement with the U.S. government, aims to show how the company works with U.S. physicians and compensates them for their services and how these collaborations benefit patient care.

How it works: Payments are reported in several categories, including research-related payments, educational programs and other services, such as commercial consulting. The registry also discloses noncash forms of value provided (e.g., business meals), as well as travel expenses paid by Lilly when a physician is performing services for the company. The company noted that 63% of payments reported on the registry are related to research, including clinical studies for investigational medicines.

"When healthcare professionals work together with the pharmaceutical industry, patients benefit from our combined expertise," Lilly’s U.S. medical division VP Jack Harris said. "Through these collaborations, we are able to develop innovative medicines, improve health education and better understand patients’ needs. Without our joint efforts, new medicines could never reach the millions of patients who need better treatment options for diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, depression and Alzheimer’s."

H. D. Smith reorganizes national operations

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Pharmaceutical wholesaler H. D. Smith announced that amid the retirement of one of its executives, the company has reorganized its national operations to meet the regional needs of its customers.

H. D. Smith said that its national operations now will be organized into a West region, which includes California, Illinois, Kentucky and Texas divisions; and East region, which includes Florida, New England and New York Metro divisions. The East and West regions will be overseen by corporate VPs Christian Harrington and Tom Twitty. Both executives will report to H. D. Smith president and COO Chris Smith.

The announcement reflects the retirement of EVP Harvey Tanenbaum, who is leaving the company after 12 years of service. During his tenure, Tanenbaum was the founder of the company’s New York Metro division.

“As H. D. Smith continues to grow, so too does our need for dedicated customer service oversight and operational excellence in every region we serve,” Smith said. “This reorganization enables continued growth and provides new services to our customers — while maintaining focused support for each customer individually. Christian Herrington and Tom Twitty, having come from senior leadership positions within H. D. Smith and having held national positions during their careers, truly understand and are dedicated to this mission.”

The addition of Sammons increases the number of members on Magellan’s board to nine. Sammons began at Rite Aid as president and COO in 1999, becoming CEO in 2003 and chairman in 2007. The current president and CEO is John Standley.

“Mary Sammons is an experienced business leader with significant knowledge of the healthcare industry, and we are pleased that she is joining our board,” Magellan chairman and CEO Rene Lerer said. “The healthcare marketplace is continuing to evolve, and Magellan is positioned to leverage our significant clinical and operational expertise to continue to grow. Mary’s background in successfully leading major companies through transformation will be invaluable as we look to the challenges and opportunities of the future.”

As part of a panel at the recent Drug Store News Industry Issues Summit, officials from Walmart and Kroger shared the ways the two organizations go about taking a collaborative approach to health care.

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